Machine for enameling the shoulders of collapsible tubes



Sept. 16, 1941. G. w. TEMPLE MACHINE FOR ENAMELING THE SHOULDERS OF COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed oct. so, 1940 \i/ eofye 2 sheets-sheet 1 f INVENTOR W Temple ATTCSRNEY Sept. 16, 1941. G, w. TEMPLE A 2,256,363

V MACHINE FOR ENAMELING THE SHOULDERS OF COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Oct. 30, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fit l Patented `Sept'. 16, 1941 v2,256,363 ENAMELING MACHINE FOR THE SHOUL- DEES OF CQLLAPSIBLE4 TUBES George Temple, New York, N. Y., assignor to Victor Metal Products Corporaticmrooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Appncatien october so, 1940seria1N0. 363,411

6 Claims.

This invention relates to enameling machines for coating the surfaces of collapsible tubes and particularly to the means for coating the tapered shoulder extending from the threaded neck to the cylindrical body of such a tube. 1

Collapsible tubes are made with one end thereof open for the insertion of the contents thereinto and with a closure, usually consisting` of a reduced neck adapted to be capped, at the other end. The body of the tube is cylindrical and the neck end .of the body is joined to the reduced neck by a tapered or conical shoulder. Usually, the cylindrical body part of the tube is coated with enamel and printed and thereby decorated. Heretofore, however, the conical shoulder has not been enameled, but the metal thereof has been left bare and exposed.

I have found that by enameling the conical shoulder surface, a better appearance is given the tube. Since much time and effort is spent in improving the appearance of such tubes for purposes of sales appeal, an improved appearance is highly desirable. Such enameling, however, cannot be accomplished by the machines which enamel the tube body and hand enameling is too expensive.

My invention therefore contemplates the provision of rotatable means for rapidly and effectively enameling or otherwise coating the conical shoulder surfaces of collapsible tubes.

My invention further contemplates the provision of continuously operating rollers arranged for easy adjustment to tubes of various diameters to enamel the conical shoulder of collapsible tubes at a comparatively high rate of speed and without interfering with the operation of enameling the body of the tube.

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the description which follows, and from the drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my new mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

In the practical embodiment of the invention shown by way of example, the intermittently rotating turret IU of an enameling machine is provided with a series of spaced tube holding mandrels I I mounted for free rotation under the action of an enameling roller on the collapsible tube I2 removably held by the mandrel. It will be understood that in what follows, the term enamel is intended to apply to any coating including paint, varnish and printing ink and that the enamel may be applied to any selected area applied preferably to the entire area thereof in a single operation.

The means for enameling the cylindricalbody of Vthe tube being well known and consisting of a roller receiving enamel from a suitable source and depositing it as a film on the tube whilerotating in contact with the'tube or tlie'mandrel, no further description nor, illustration thereof is deemed necessary. -Howeven the means for enameling the conical surface of the tube will now be described. l v

Said means comprises the frame i3 provided with the base I4 mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the table I5 of the machine and relatively to the turret. Since the frame I3 carries the enameling mechanism, adjustment of the frame, by rst loosening the nuts` I6 which pass through the slots I'I into the table I5 then moving the base and finally tightening the nuts, adjusts allof said mechanism as a unit relatively to the turret. Such adjustment is advisable to enable the mechanism to apply enamel to the shoulders of tubes differing greatly in diameters and consequently having conical shoulders ofA different diameters at the base and also differing in the altitude ofthe shoulders. Differences in theiengths of the tubes do not necessitate adjustment of the mechanism because the shoulders of the tubes are always positioned at the free end of the mandrel at approximately the same point. It will be understood that when tubes of different diameter are `to be enameled, the mandrels Il arel changed for those of the proper diameter and theenameling mechanism adjusted to bring the conical enameling surface 2'I of the enameling roller I8 sufiiciently close to the shoulder I9 of the tube to deposit the desired coating on the shoulder when the roller I8 is rotated.

Rotation of the roller is effected by the bevel gear 20 on the. roller shaft 2I, said gear engaging the bevel gear 22 on the upper end of the upright shaft 23 which is supported by the frame I3. At the lower end of the shaft 23 is the bevel gear 24 meshing with the bevel gear 25 on the drive shaft 26. Said shaft 26 is rotatably supported in the bearing 28 outstanding from the frame base I4 and adjustable therewith when the frame I3 is adjusted, the shaft 26 being continuously driven byl a suitable pulley or wheel thereon not shown. Preferably, the conical enameling surface 2'I is formed on a somewhat yieldable ring 29 as of rubber or the like material mounted on the cylinder 30 which is keyed to the of the conical shoulder of the tube, though it is shaft 2| as by means of the tight fitting key 3I so as to allow the cylinder 30 to be moved to some extent in the direction of its axis or longitudinally of the shaft, thereby to control the distance between the conical surfaces 21 and I9.

Enamel is supplied to the enameling surface 21 from the trough 32 through the conical rollers 33 and 34 keyed on the shafts 35 and 36 respectively and adjustable longitudinally of the shafts because of their tight t on their respective keys 31, 38. The shaft 35 and the parts carried thereby are adjustable as a unit in one direction here shown as horizontal, while the shaft 35 and roller 34 are adjustable in a different direction, both directions being at right angles to the .roller axes. For this purpose, the shaft 35 is mounted in the bearing block 39 adjustably supported in the spring bearing 4D and adjusted in position by the adjusting screw 4I. is supported in the spring bearing 42 adjusted by the screw 43. The roller shafts are rotated by means of the gear 44 on the shaft 2I, which gear drives the gear 46 on the shaft 35 through the intermediate gear 45 on the shaft 35.

The roller 33 dips into the enamel in the trough 32 and becomes coated, the scraper 41 fixed to the frame I3 removing the surplus. Enamel is thus transferred to the conical surface of the roller 34 and to the conical surface 21 and thence to the conical shoulder of the tube I2 on the mandrel. The tube rotates with the mandrel about its axis during the application of the enamel, but the turret IG is at rest. After the enameling operation, the turret rotates through a predetermined angle in a well known manner to carry the next tube against -the roller i8 to be enameled thereby.

By adjusting the rollers on their shafts, adjusting the frame base I4 and the shafts 35 and 36 in their bearings,V it becomes possible to control the thickness of the lm of enamel applied to the tube and to adjust the mechanism accurately to enamel tubes differing in diameters. It will be seen that the mechanism, while simple, is adequate to carry out its functions rapidly and efficiently and to enamel the conical shoulders of collapsible tubes at high speed without interference with the enameling of the tube bodies.

While I have shown and described a certain specific embodiment of the invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, but intend to claim my invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A machine for enameling the conical shoulder of a collapsible tube comprising an intermittently rotatable turret, a series of spaced revoluble mandrels on the turret, a continuously Similarly, the shaft 36 Y revoluble roller having a conical surface, mean-s for adjustably supporting the roller to carry the surface in-to engagement with the shoulder of a tube on the mandrel, and adjustable means for supplying a film of enamel to the surface.

2. A machine for enameling the conical shoulder of a collapsible tube comprising a continuously revoluble enamel-applying roller having a conical surface, a series of conical transfer rollers, means for adjustably supporting the transfer rollers to transfer a film of enamel to the surface, a revoluble mandrel for supporting a collapsible tube having a conical shoulder, and means for supporting the 'surface for adjusting movement toward and from the shoulder.

3. A machine for enameling the conical shoulder of a collapsible tube comprising a container for enamel, a rlrst conical roller rotating in the container, a shaft supporting the roller, a key connecting the roller to the shaft for relative adjustment longitudinally of the shaft, an adjustable bearing for the shaft, an enamel-applying roller having a conical surface adjustable along the axis thereof, an intermediate second conical roller adjustably supported in enamel- -transferring contact with and between the first conical roller and the enamel-applying roller, and an adjustable frame supporting said rollers.

4. A machine for enameling the conical shoulder of a collapsible tube comprising a series of relatively adjustable continuously revoluble conical rollers, one of saidrollers being an enamelapplying roller and the remaining rollers being transfer rollers, the transfer roller including a yieldable` ring having aV conical outer surface adapted to engage the shoulder of the tube, and means for lsupporting all of said rollers for simultaneous adjustment as a unit relatively to the tube. v

5. In a machine for enameling the conical shoulder of a collapsible tube, an enamel-applying roller including a rubber ring having a conical surface adapted to engage the shoulder, and means for supporting the tube to rotate the tube while the shoulder is engaged by said surface.

6. A machine for enameling the conical shoulder of a collapsiblertube comprising a frame, a series of conical rollers supported by said frame, a-revoluble mandrel to support the tube, means for, adjusting the frame relatively to the mandrel, means for supporting each of said rollers for individual adjustment in the direction of the axis thereof, and means for additionally adjusting at least two of said rollers in different directions at substantially right angles to said axis.

, GEORGE W. TEMPLE. 

